Protecting device for gauges



Oct. 25, 1932. G. F. RUOPP PROTECTING DEVICE FOR GAUGES Filed June 23, 1931 Patented Oct- .25, 1932 1 -U TED; STATES snonenmmnnrtrcx soon, or MARSHAL-LTOWN, IOWA, ASSIGINOR TO nABsHALL- "'rowN -MAN rAcT Rmo coMrANY, or MARSHALLTOWN, owa, A coRrQB rIoN or IOWA "rnornc rme DEVICE ron GAUGES 1 Application filedihme23,1931. Serial- No. 546,279.

1 This invention relates to pressure gauges of that type employing What is commonly known as the Bourdon spring tube gauge, or a any type of gauge in which delicate mechanism 1s-employedfor operatingthe index inember; ,Considerable difficulty has been experienced heretofore inthis type of mechanism, 'due' to the fact-that rough usage and handling during shipment of the gauge often results in injury tothe delicate mechanism, on account of the tendency of the index memher to oscillate about its pivotal center. v

" Itv istherefore the object of my invention to provide a simple, durable and inexpensive 7 means which may be easily and quickly attached to the pressure gauge at the time the .gaugeis manufactured and tested, and when so applied provides means whereby the rotatably'mounted index member may be yieldably and temporarily supported against r01 tatio-n. The device is so arranged that it may be easily and quickly removed at the time the instrument is installed; and further so constructed that the device must be re moved before installation of the gauge to;

obviate the possibility of the mechanic installing the instrument forgetting to remove' the protecting device.

My invention consists in the construction,: arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and

illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a front view of a gauge showing the manner in which my preferred form of protecting device is attached. I

Figure 2 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of my improved protecting device.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 2. t

Figure 5 is a front view of a pressure gauge showing a modified form of my protecting device.

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 66 of Figure 5; and

. Figure 7 is a side elevation of the m'odified form of my protecting device. a

Referring to. the accompanying drawing, I have used the referencenumeral- 10 to indicate the casing of a pressure gauge-having a cylindrical wall 11 and open atits fronfiend, said casing having a dial 12 which divides the casing into two compartments 13and 14. The compartment13 is "provided. with the usual gauge mechanism whichis provided with outwardlyproj ecting pipe l5havi-ng its outer end screw threaded and adapted to make connection with a suitable pipe line.

Projecting outwardly fromthe compartment 13 throughthe dia-l12 is.arotatably mounted shaft 16 actuated by'the gauge mechanismand designed to support the index 17 Said index has a hub 18 by means i of which the index is secured tothe shaft 16.

tance, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 4.

shaft v The casing 10 is The lu s aresubstantially in line with the 15. A-wire 22 projectsthroughthe opening 21 and adjacent tothe lugs 20 and ithe flat- I ed portion'of the member 15.

The wire 21 is; provided wlthalooped portion 24 designed to engage the flattened portion 19 in such a manner that torsional strain is-applied to the wire attheltime it is placed in position. The looped: portion also holds thewire in position and prevents itufrom moving outwardly from the dial 12,and thus prevents it from accidentally disengaging said lugs20. l ,c I, a a g The wire 21 is placedinposition in the factory after theinstrument has been tested, in

:which position it remains until the instrument is installed, insuring the instrument against injury due to rough usage. 1

.At the time the instrumentis. installed, it

provided with an opening 21''adjajcent to the, frontface of. the member is first necessary to remove the socket portion 23, which is accomplished by movln the said socket portion outwardly from the ody of the gauge. The wire 21 is moved longi- ,t,udi nally and outwardly at the same time,

withdrawn through the opening 21,; er-

mitting the index member to then move ree 1y. By this arrangement it willbe seen that it' is impossible toinstall the instrument without first removing the protecting device:

In Figures 5, 6 and 7 I have illustrated a slightly modified form of my device in which lugs 25 project outwardly from the dial 26 of the gauge 27 said lugs being supported ML u ,from one side of the hub 28 instead of one lug on eachside of the hub, as in the preferred form.

v I outer end of the wire is threaded through *aae ning 3l in the casingand secured to a sboktmember 32. The inner end of the wire- 29' ha sianoffset portion 33 design'edto p're-- sdcEetmemb'erBZ must be removed fron'rthe "simple, durable and inexpensive protecting deyi'e which may beeasily and quickly in stalled'i rlfig' ,an having 'an'outwardly extending pipe con- I V} detaehably supportingsaid wire in position inlsuch 'a' manner that the wire may be removed only by being withdrawn outwardly ish j n i 'ndin r 2.: iThe'icombination of a pressure gauge T ciisingfhaving a connection member, a shaft rotativelyfmountedliri said dialhaving outwardlyfprojecting lugs, a hub carried by said shaft, an index member carried by said hub, sa d casing having an opening adjacent to saidconne'ction member, a cap detachably over ng the outer. end of's'aid connection member, a wirie extending through said opening havirig one end 'connectedto said cap and its opposite'end threaded between the fiatten'ed portion of said hub and said outwardly pro ecting lugs.

threaded between the lugs 25 T andtheiflatt'ened portion 20 of the hub 28L" seminars-1 disengagement of the wire from eilugsfi25. As in my preferred formfthe" portion of the outwardly extending 1 pei before the device can beinstalled."* Thus itwill be seen that I haveprovideda i ty'pe of pressure gauges "em'- 5a rotatably' mounted index member @15 jnecfiiom'and which is so constructed that the 3. The combination of a pressure gauge casing having an outwardly projecting connection member, a shaft rotatively mounted in said dial havin outwardly projecting lugs, ahub carried hy said shaft, an index member carried by said hub, said casing havlng an opening adjacent to said connection member, a cap detachably covering the outer end of said-connection-member, a wlre extending "through said-openinghaving one end connected to said cap and its opposite end "threaded between the flattened portion of said hub and said outwardly projecting lugs, that portion of said wire engaging the flattened portion of said hub being looped otltwzilrdly'to reventthe wire from being moved outward y and disengaging the lugs.

4c. The combinationofj'a*pressure gauge c asing'having'a connection member, a dial, a rotatably mounted inderc member, detach able means for coveringfhe connection member, and meansicarried" the last said means for temporarily "supporting the member a gainst rotation," the "last said means being removable onlyu dn'theremovaf of-s'aid conr nection covering means.

'5. In device offhecla'ss described, a cap adapted to "c'o'verthtbrinedtiofl of a presslit-e gauge, and"a"wire*fixed to one edge of (said cap andprojecting longitudinally therefromfitherree end of said wire having an 0ffset portion-to "engage an index" member of 'ssnre gauge,'ff0r th'e'f purposes stated.

" GEORGE "FREDERICK RUOPP. 

